| How very much and how very often we Christians need encouragement. And how very gracious is our Lord to encourage His own. He says to us, “Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the Lord,” and “be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the Lord thy God, He it is that doth go with thee, He will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.” Our discouragement is often caused by fear: fear of people, fear of circumstances, fear of the future. But “the Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” There may be adverse circumstances, but “in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us.” The future may look bleak and foreboding, but “the Lord, He it is that doth go before thee: He will be with thee, He will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed.” “Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law. … Turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest. … Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.” |
